This panel aims at providing information regarding the sexual and reproductive health situation and the unmet needs of sex workers in Turkey while visibilizing the recommendations and demands that are based on the needs of sex workers. The report “Sexual and Reproductive Health Situation of Sex Workers in Turkey: Unmet Needs and Recommendations”, which is the direct outcome of the field study carried out by the UNFPA with sex workers, service providers, academics, civil society organisations and the public health directorates in 8 provinces of Turkey, will be presented at this panel. In addition, Dr. Habibe Güneş will be sharing her experiences regarding the health services she had provided to sex workers in Izmir as well as the sexual health needs of sex workers.

PANEL 2:

Sex Work in Legal Sphere: Problems at Brothels and Needs of Sex Workers

13:45 – 15:00

Moderator: Kemal Ördek, Red Umbrella

Brothel owners and registered female sex workers tell their stories…

Sex work in Turkey can only be done at registered borthels. However, the number of registered brothels gradually decrease because of several reasons. In addition, those sex workers who apply to be registered to work at brothels are rejected, the number of registered sex workers decrease and brothels become less attractive for clients because of the increasing age level of registered sex workers. Registered sex workers at brothels and owners of these brothels experience many problems because of the existing laws and the attitudes of the relevant authorities; however these problems are pushed into invisibility. This panel aims at visibilizing the problems that brothels are pushed into.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Voice recording, video recording and photographs are strcitly forbidden at this panel. This rule is ensured for the security of the speakers. Those who do not respect this rule will be asked to leave the panel.

PANEL 3:

Sex Workers’ Rights Activism in Europe: Strategies and Experiences

15:15 – 16:15

Moderator: Eylül Yıldız, Red Umbrella

“Advocacy and Activism for the Rights of Sex Workers in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia”

“From Streets to the European Parliament: Sex Workers’ Activism and Advocacy in Europe”

Agata Dzubian, Policy Officer, International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe

What are the problems that sex workers in Europe experience? This panel aims at finding an answer to this question together with the representatives of the 2 sex workers’ networks in Europe. Representatives of the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) and SWAN Foundation for the Rights of Sex Workers in CEECA (SWAN) will be in Turkey in order to tell us what activities they carry out, what the current developments in Europe are in regard to sex workers’ rights and what their struggle strategies are.

PANEL 4:

16:30 – 17:30

Male Sex Workers

Moderator: Ferhat Yıldız, Red Umbrella

Male sex workers tell their stories…

Why are male sex workers pushed into invisibility? Where is the place of male sex workers in respect to other sex workers? What are the working conditions of male sex workers? What are the human rights violations that male sex workers experience? This panels seeks answers to these questions with 3 male sex workers from 3 provinces of Turkey.

15 MAR CH 2015, SUNDAY

PANEL 1:

Examples of Academic Studies on Sex Work in Turkey

13:00 – 14:30

Moderator: Mine Egbatan, Red Umbrella

“Door of Necessity: The Spatial Order of Sex Work in Ulus After the Demolition of the Brothel”

Şenay Yılmaz, Ankara University Department of Women’s Studies

“Discussions Around Politics of Sexuality: From Sex Slavery to Sex Work”

There are very few acaemic stuies that have been carried on in respect to sex work. Utilization and evaluation of these studies has the potential of contributing to the human rights struggle of sex workers. We are focusing on 3 academic studies at this panel.

PANEL 2:

What Kind of a Legislation Do We Want?

14:45 – 16:00

Moderator: Av. Nihan Erdoğan, Red Umbrella

“Sex Workers in Respect to Labour and Social Security Laws”

Dr. Orhan Ersun Civan, Ankara University Faculty of Law

Res. Asst. Çağla Erdoğan, Ankara University Faculty of Law

“Sex Workers in Between of Morality an Laws: From ‘Women of Life’ to Work”

Dr. Muhtar Çokar, Human Resources Development Foundation

“Human Rights Violations Against Sex Workers and the Law: What do the Cases Tell Us?”

Nihan Erdoğan, Lawyer

What are the laws that regulate sex work in Turkey? Is sex work a crime? If yes, why? If not, in what conditions? What are the laws that sex workers seek? What are the benefits of the existing laws for sex workers, if any? What are the human rights violations that police operations result in? What kind of a legislation contributes to the human rights struggle of sex workers? We will discuss all these questions with the support of the experts.

PANEL 3:

In-Group Violence Experiences: What is Our Fault?

16:15 – 17:15

Moderator: Belgin Çelik, Red Umbrella

Trans sex workers tell their stories…

What are the reasons of in-group violence among sex workers? What is the place of in-group violence in respect to other human rights violations that sex workers experience? Why does a sex worker target another sex worker? What is the solution of this problem? İn-group violence examples will be discussed by trans sex worker victims, in the midst of the discussions around organizing and solidarity among sex workers.